


Homestuck^2.5 Part 2

by Zinchilla



Series: Homestuck^2.5 [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Earth X (Alt. Earth C), So Im doing the flashbacks now, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, Yes I know I said this would be part 3 but I got writers block
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:42:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24984754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zinchilla/pseuds/Zinchilla
Series: Homestuck^2.5 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1705114
Kudos: 3





	1. Act 1: Enter Sburb

The session will begin shortly, please standby as Sburb: The Official Release readies the planets, consorts, and shops.  
Update: Outside coding has been detected. Downloadable content for System 6463 has been loaded. Thank you for supporting Skaiacorp and English Inc. May the rewards be ever in your favor...


	2. Act 1 Scene 1: A Father's Letter

Do not go gentle into that good night,  
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;  
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.  
  
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,  
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,  
Do not go gentle into that good night.  
  
And you, my daughter, there on that sad height,  
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.  
Never go gentle into that long good night.  
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.


	3. Little Wonders: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I got Writer's Block hard on part 1, so I'm moving things around so I can actually get stuff produced.
> 
> yes i know it's december now i'm still doing my best.

Over the cityscape, an older man walks into the pound and checks in at the front desk. The moment he speaks, a chorus of barks and happy whines are heard from the next room. He has just recently turned 39 years old, the ghostly shadow of a beard creeping across his face. His name is Jake. Technically considered by many to be a near all-powerful god, which wasn't far from the truth unfortunately, he was the one who brought the malevolent Lord of Time to his knees, banishing him to the edges of Paradox Space until the end of life itself. One of the bigger dogs tackles him in joy when he opens the cage, knocking his phone onto the ground. On the screen are dozens of unread messages, some from years back.  
Emails, texts, missed calls, the entire ten frickin yards... pretty sure if they knew where you lived they'd constantly be sending letters to... you just wanted nothing to do with them for awhile. 'Awhile' turned into weeks, then months, and finally years. The pestering, the want to know everything you'd been doing, it was so exhausting. Dogs meanwhile? Dogs don't care what you did three hours ago. They just enjoy you spending time with them. And that's all you wanted. That old mansion was too crowded even with all those empty rooms anyway. You don't even remember how it went down, you just...snapped, packed your things, and walked out. No one thought you meant it until you cut them all out trying to get your head straight. Well, almost all of them anyway. Right on cue from the cat area, a door opened and one of the elderly cats purred as she walked over to rub her head on her best friend while a familiar caretaker follows.  
  
Rox: hey man.  
Jake: Hey.  
Rox: ...lemme guess... jane this time.  
Jake: ...  
Rox: i really do keep telling her to leave you alone. she's just gotten panicky or some shit because of the company.  
  
Jake huffs a little as his friend goes on. He looks more comfortable...good even. Even got some shades to match with the rest of the family, well dorky heart sunglasses anyway.  
  
Rox: so, how's it been on the wayside? made any headway jake-ifying the house?  
Jake: Nah.  
Rox: seriously? ok, whens the last time you were actually home...we talking at least 10 minutes here.  
Jake: I dont really go back, dont have a reason to.  
Rox: why the hell did you get a house again?  
Jake: Excuse me you were the one who told me to  
Rox: oh yeah  
Rox: lol  
Rox: anyways. you hear about the orphanage?  
Jake: Closed down, right?  
Rox: they cant. no ones taking the oldest one there and no other place wants to deal with her. her bio dads a no-go as well...  
Jake: My god that kid... they really cant find anything else about her yet?  
Rox: nope. she wasnt born in a hospital so she has literally no records of any kind. technically, according to karkat, she doesnt even exist.  
  
As soon as the words left Rox's mouth, his eyes grew almost in amazement while a small figure finally came into view. Jake felt it awkwardly nuzzle between him and his coat trying to keep warm, shaking with the intensity of a leaf. Nine months of rehabilitation with almost every doctor and the last two workers and there was finally some kind of result.  
Jake: You alright sweetie?  
  
The girl curled closer into his side, shivering the whole time. She was utterly soaked to the bone and still covered mostly in dirt and grime. In the distance, sirens wailed as the ground rumbled followed by something crashing to the earth below. Whatever was left of that building was gone at last whether it wanted to or not. A troll officer ran in, saw the child, and ran back out with a nod to find anyone else who might have been trapped.  
  
  
Hours had long passed before the girl and two remaining workers were moved to a motel. The two gods were encouraged to go home for the next few days and for the first time in awhile, Jake walked around the building he should be calling his home. A field of papers were spread over the main kitchen island as they had been for the past few weeks. Background checks were already completed, yet he still debated over the pages whenever he walked by. It's not like he didn't have the money or time or space to support a child, in fact there was quite a comfortable nest egg of all three. She was just a blank slate, someone who only just started to recover and move on from everything.  
Jake rubbed his eyes, getting a good look at his reflection in the polished granite below while he thought. No amount of immortality could save him from this...he was getting old. There were more wrinkles near his eyes and flecks of dark grey in his hair, making him look tarnished in a way. The way his eyes seemed to glow with shades of green and pale gold always made them stand out, not that they wouldn't have anyway against his dark brown frame. Minutes twirled away while he reread the main page over, and over, and over again. 'Legal guardianship,' just had so much power to it. He didn't doubt himself at all, but there was always the fear that he wouldn't be good enough. After all, what would he know? He did grow up in a jungle island all on his own so what did he know about being a parent. Every time he was ready to sign off, something made him hesitate. There was no brain ghost to talk to, no one else in the house, just a man and his own mind. Yes, he could be a fantastic dad, but what if he wasn't? So many other versions of him let their own children down, who's to say this wouldn't be any different? But the chance that he could be better...it was so daunting. But either way there would be no turning back. Honestly...what would the others do?  
Jane would most likely have dropped everything and taken her in. The same with June and Jade. Rox would be over the moon about this, Rose and Kanaya would think about it and most likely agree but still 50-50. The Striders... yeah better to not think about that. But Vriska, she would have layed out all the options and let chance take the wheel. Nothing a good old fashioned coin flip can't solve. Might as well try. Heads, go through and adopt. Tails...don't and ...yeah no. With a clank the coin falls flat on the floor. Jake scribbled his name down and took a breath, for starting as soon as possible, he would be Jake English. God of hope, archeologist, billionaire, philanthropist, adventurer, scientist, and single father of one. And he didn't know what scared him more out of all of them.  
  
The next morning was essentially hell on earth if a single man could experience it. He was in his best suit, everything ready to go as soon as everything opened, and he never felt worse. The fact that it was a fucking court lobby of all things didn't help at all.  
  
???: Mr. English? May I see you for a moment?  
and speak of the devil... it was all moving so quick...  
???: Everything's in the system. We're just waiting for them to get here. It should only be a few minutes.  
Jake: Already?  
???: We placed everything as soon as we received it. Since she's the only one left we have to get her into a home as soon as possible to ensure she's healthy, safe, and finally registered. The only thing left that we needed was the forms.  
  
Few minutes seemed more like an eternity in the even smaller office. At least the lobby had people walking by, not dead silence and a clock ticking. Just mindless pacing back and forth, from one wall to the other until a phone outside broke the silence. And a moment later the door swung open allowing the two workers and small child in. Even after a decent scrubbing she still had bits of caked on dirt on her face and was just about to grow out of the clothes she had. Her entire life was condensed into a single tote bag that seemed on the verge of ripping open. The two women encouraged her forwards a bit and were led outside, the representative, Jake, and his new daughter now alone in the room. She looked up with large grey eyes and walked right over to his side, sitting in the chair next to him as the rep typed away on his computer. Quietly, Jake got up and knelt in front of her, holding one of her hands.  
Jake: Gage, i know you might not understand a lot of whats happening right now, but... well i guess i did pull through on getting you out of there after all. I understand if youre not sure about all of this-  
Gage: Dad?  
Jake: yes?  
Gage: Is... is it ok if we go home? I'm tired...  
He blinked a few small tears away. Already calling him 'dad' and...well it makes sense that she would be tired.  
Jake: Of course...  
Gage: Dad...?  
Jake: Yes?  
Gage: Thank you...


End file.
